Stories of commuting in the bay, having too many bikes, and other velo shenanigans.

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20140116

Just Superbe

I will always have a soft spot for SunTour.Don't get me wrong - Campy is timelessly classic and dresses up only the finest of bikes, with many a steel bike made into a piece of art by the addition of one of its gruppos. Shimano always seemed to be a tad bolder and slightly more modern, trying new things with it's 10 Pitch and AX series, with the ever reliable Dura Ace being standard on various racing machines. But my very first road bike came equipped with SunTour Seven, and I've rooted for the underdog ever since.Truthfully, I started really vying for them when I did my research and learned about SunTour Superbe and Superbe Pro - the engineering that went into them, the reliability, and the eventual decline of SunTour that many agree came from Superbe Pro being offered at too low of a price point for anyone to think it was good. Certainly the advances in technology have changed groups and gruppos for the better, and my SRAM Red equipped bike still blows my mind. But of everything classic that I have ridden, Superbe Pro has always been my favorite.

NOS with a BB to match.

Superbe Pro to me feels like it belongs on a specific type of bike - it's seen a lot on NJS track bikes, bikes that are every bit as technical as they are classy. It's seen on novelties like the Black Lightning and Yongjiu, or sometimes on the elusive Level frames. I certainly don't feel like it belongs on just any frame - it has to have the exact combination of technical and classy for it to feel right to me. You can imagine my pure and utter joy when I learned it was compatible for use on the Takhion's drivetrain. So, yes, this restoration will have a (mostly) full SunTour Superbe Pro group, with the exception being the downtube levers, brake calipers, and brake levers. The seatpost, bottom bracket, both derailleurs, crankset, cassette, and hubs will be Superbe Pro. It's gonna be good.I can't wait to get this one built up!